Dear Editor:
On February 11, 2004 the Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders, which is supposed to represent our county, passed very disgusting resolutions. This resolution allowed a payment of $60,000 of our Hudson County taxpayer’s money to go to the Newark based Metro Communications for “the strategic marketing of a Meadowlands extension to the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Line.” This will ultimately help no one other than the Xanadu retail and entertainment business n Bergen County.
Let me explain to the Board of Freeholders two simple reasons why we cannot feel much of the economic progress the national economy has been feeling. Since 1970, developers have been receiving permits from city governments to build a countless number of mega-sized shopping malls under the pretense of creating jobs in Northern New Jersey. However, there has been a disastrous disparity between the greater growth rates of retail markets in comparison to the number of shoppers. The increasing of the retail stores effects local retail businesses by not allowing them enough in order to boost the economy and create more jobs in the county. This is one of the two reasons this county continues to have the highest unemployment rate within the state. In other words, building a mega-mall is more likely to relocate or destroy jobs somewhere within our neighborhood business districts rather than creating jobs. Secondly, leaving only a trivial number of insignificant paychecks to locals the mega-mall sends a major portion of the money to their out of state corporate offices which causes cash flow problems and slows down business in the region. Conversely, sales made within the local business districts would keep money flowing within this state, this helping the local economy grow and eventually prosper in the long term. The buck should stop here, not elsewhere. If our County executive Tom DeGise and freeholders (other than the honorable Freeholder Bill O’Dea) truly understand and have considerations for these problems and facts within the local community, they would not be rushed to pass a resolution. Before finding a way to send our residents to the Xanadu shopping mall in Bergen County, the Board of Freeholders and the county government should conduct a comprehensive economic impact study in order to explore new resources for protecting existing businesses and jobs in this county after Xanadu’s completion. As president of the Jersey City Merchants Council, from all of our hearts, I would like to thank only the Honorable Freeholder Bill O’Dea for fighting to protect the business community and trying to help our County’s economy. Since the actions of the remaining freeholders support Bergen County, they should leave Hudson County and run for office in the next Bergen County election.
In closing, this resolution is not just a matter of $60,000. Our elected officials have not only insulted their county’s business communities but they also have embarrassed themselves on February 11, 2004.
Michael Yun
President of the Jersey City Merchants Council